Labor Day started as a protest.
The first Labor Day was on September 5, 1882 when over 10,000 workers left their work to march in New York City. This was when Americans had 12-hour days and worked six, if not seven, days a week. And there were no protections for child labor, so kids as young as 6 and 7 were working in factories and mines under horrible conditions.
Here’s a short video from TED-Ed that explains the origins of the holiday:
Of course, now we barely mention the labor movement or pay homage to the work of these early protesters to secure the many protections we now all have, whether or not it’s a union job. (I only work 5 days a week; how about you?)
As we spend this Labor Day taking it easy, why not honor those early protesters and their activism by jumping onto our favorite social media platforms to remind friends and followers how important it is to stay engaged with politics?
One way to do that is to share your favorite voter registration app or website (I personally like IWillVote) and ask everyone to at least check to make sure their voter registration is active.
Or, remind folks to vote in every election (not just the presidential ones) and share September’s election calendar with them, which you can find HERE.
Small actions can add up. Enjoy your Labor Day!
California voters: Be sure to vote NO on your recall ballot and return it ASAP! Election Day is September 14!
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